tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52936802011-07-07T17:26:57.325-06:00love, life, and lentil soupOne activist's never ending search for adventure, love, fun, and sustenance in this paper mache world.demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.comBlogger4141100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-32587978925246862722010-07-20T15:52:00.001-06:002010-07-20T15:54:10.543-06:00standing in the kitchen 9am light comes through the windows cold strawberries and quince on the counter sugar in bags wait by the stove an empty pot sits on the burner four padded feet chase after a fruit fly two feet stand, shuffle awkwardly one hand reaches for the spoon the other for the pan and the ignitor gas ignites become flame becomes heat the empty pan recieves the fruit the sugar melts demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-84302554164190294292008-02-18T19:34:00.002-06:002008-02-18T21:17:53.655-06:00mind still exploding. im always in between these hate the world moods that strike me, in the middle of a little bit of grumptasticness or deliriously happy and smiley cause life is shining so brite on my little patch of life. but i can be a seriously grumpy fuck for no real reason. im moody, i shift, i degenerate into a 12 year old boy who hates everything or maybe loves everything demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-73826405208462393802008-02-10T14:01:00.000-06:002008-02-10T14:02:23.574-06:00aghmind exploding. gahdemetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-12404642491539586422008-01-07T22:42:00.000-06:002008-01-07T22:59:19.624-06:00seasoning the cast iron, organizing the new room, thinking of designs, staring out the window, feeding the sourdough, cleaning the sauerkraut, giving love and attention to the kombucha, checking my ferment, plotting to make chilero, uploading photos, feeling out my new kitchen, piling up my books, thinking about what to put on my walls, filling the bathroom cabinet, folding clothes. All the demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-64179521332054897412008-01-02T02:05:00.000-06:002008-01-02T03:09:39.764-06:00happy new year y'all. i had a marvelously mellow new years eve. calm, restorative, invigorating and fun. right now i am packing up my room for the move which will happen in a few days. tomorrow I get the keys and cut two huge checks for everything. i do not like writing huge checks. super bumsville. this is so much more a diary than a real blog. i was thinking about writing and about food, demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-87216871800886710462007-12-30T22:23:00.000-06:002007-12-30T22:31:46.475-06:00trying to get back into the one a day posting, or at least 5 times a week regular updates because I want to be writing more and this has always been a tool to encourage that. oh but all this newness, all this starting. there really feels like a limited amount of energy that ive got for starting new projects and this week already has a move in it and am already gonna try and walk/bike demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-76876290339916809022007-12-28T12:20:00.000-06:002007-12-28T12:37:30.727-06:00rain rain rainplease come and stay. give your water to the ground. moisten gray dull surfaces in this city. brighten ignored colors hiding around each corner. accentuate noises running through this city. splash drop plop plink gush. i enjoy rainy days, they get me walking thinking pondering wondering. they even get me doing, which is sometimes quite the feat. feat, feet, my feet are cold.demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-18407787249820904222007-12-23T12:22:00.000-06:002007-12-23T12:30:43.467-06:00christmas is approaching. two years in a row without the family. two years in a row with new faces, new friends, new strangers in new places. new jobs. new bikes, new roads to learn, new foods to enjoy. new things to learn. new families to become a part of. new pathways to meander down while whistling and staring at the beautiful sky around me. new moons and new constellations. new demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-22674942540052070202007-12-12T18:44:00.000-06:002007-12-12T18:49:05.430-06:00december grows like a night blooming winter flower. shimmering and beautiful for a few hours daily it then closes up and demands retreat into the arms of lovers, big old couches next to fire pits or kitchen tables located near ovens that are roasting winter veggies for the next meal. this is abbreviated for how i am feeling lately but i dont have time right now to share everything that is going demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-8895805514898879022007-12-03T00:16:00.000-06:002007-12-03T00:17:05.206-06:00nj mixes so well with bourbon and snowdemetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-64412726583663149082007-11-16T12:12:00.000-06:002007-11-16T12:24:52.398-06:00I feel amazing. Or torn. Im not/never sure. Its morning. Its gray. The clouds and fog dominate the landscape and I hide in my kitchen with the door open, hood pulled over my head, coffee at my side and feet rocking back and forth to generate heat. Im nervous. Today I am going to get tested, get probed and prodded, examined to see if I harbor any possible infections. Im still nervous. demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-12247000543851382762007-11-15T14:46:00.000-06:002007-11-15T14:52:27.099-06:00Mornings! Filled with sunshine, eggs and greens, toast, teeth brushing parties, screaming children from the school down the block, open doors, tea and coffee. Days! Filled with cleaning, cooking, working, biking, walking around the city, grocery shopping, banking, pooping, coffee drinking, plotting, planning, scheming and daydreaming. Nights! Bikes, beer, whiskey, wine, dinners, loving, moons,demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-77373764782931651682007-11-06T20:00:00.000-06:002007-11-06T20:01:03.318-06:00woah.demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-25937453953122248822007-11-01T20:53:00.001-06:002007-11-01T20:53:50.783-06:00giving out of candy to youngsters/whiskey/walruses/jackie o./inspectorgadget/BEER/handcuffs/dancingdemetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-66714011998802280652007-10-17T18:53:00.000-06:002007-10-17T19:47:55.816-06:00In my last post i talked about some of my favorite spots in nj and comparing things is normal for me so i thought about my fav sf places and gah am i really wrting about this/doing this well in sf i never thought that i was attractive, interesting or even relatively fuckable but ive had this string of experiences that is changing my mind. i need to slow down and really think deeper about things demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1850821696576584032007-10-16T23:26:00.000-06:002007-10-16T23:32:39.560-06:00Its tricky in Northern New Jersey to find nice little places where I can relax and get away from the SUVs and shallow value systems that these folk have. I like the hill coming out of Ramsey towards Darlington Park, the Ramsey bike path, atop the ramapo parking garage, the tree, bear swamp road, indian rock, the gorge, and this little dirt hill across from ramapo college.demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-61090297779030870342007-10-15T09:57:00.000-06:002007-10-15T10:15:58.390-06:00I picked up some books on wine. Exploring Wine: The CIA's Complete Guide to Wines of the World, The Accidental Connoisseur and A Short History of Wine were all checked out from the SF library which means I got my library card. Yay! Having a library card is exciting and it makes me feel more like a part of this city. Hopefully by the end of this week or next I will have gotten my California demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-66123928273376051802007-10-15T09:56:00.001-06:002007-10-15T09:57:31.645-06:00I can't fucking believe that Hung won Top Chef. That is so lame. And this live finale shit? Lamer. It makes me feel like Im watching America's Funniest Home Videos.demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-31036109939794704592007-10-09T12:25:00.000-06:002007-10-09T12:27:05.832-06:00Grey SF mornings. Cups of coffee brewed lovingly. Eggs and refried beans. Defrosted bagels and earth balance. Red plates and NPR. The kitchen is my little sanctuary and heart of this home. Home, my new place in SF. I rejoice in this, albeit teneuos, connection. To the bicycle!demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-21829213072055036252007-10-09T02:32:00.000-06:002007-10-09T12:28:12.368-06:00Discovery: Watching missed episodes of Top Chef on internet TV.Realization: Who needs sleep when you have Top Chef?Silver lining: Top Chef!demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-49860279409837009992007-09-26T00:15:00.000-06:002007-10-09T12:30:06.206-06:00Ran my own section at work today. Intense. I feel lame describing that as intense but I create such extra pressure on myself when I wait tables that its just ridiculous sometimes. Unnecessary. I did well though, for a first shift, solo and no one died, Im pretty happy, especially when I walked away with around 18% of my sales, Im feeling good about it. Much more exciting was my afternoon. demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-77986966327910294252007-09-23T09:50:00.000-06:002007-09-23T12:32:38.708-06:00Sunday morning. Grey SF skies, big white walls, a wooden deck and horns/car doors/city sounds in the background but a bright red sleeping bag with rainbow lining, fist sized purple flowers and an apple tree all show me that even in cities there is uncontrollable beauty to be enjoyed. Eating avocados, yogurt, brown rice cakes, a few heirloom cherry tomatoes, jalapeno omelette's and drinking yummydemetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-15447726687789366912007-09-17T01:03:00.001-06:002007-09-17T01:22:01.371-06:00Ooops.In the havoc of returning from Nicaragua, driving cross country and settling into a new city I forgot to update. Sorry! But Im back now and have uploaded tons of photos from the whole summer(Nicaragua, NJ, road trip) to my flickr account. Enjoy.Quick summaries.Nicaragua: Amazing yet so fucking hard to go back there and walk those streets again. Feel the same eyes again on my skindemetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-78020635469374997502007-08-16T19:52:00.000-06:002007-08-16T19:55:12.519-06:00Update from Nicaragua. Still beautiful, still breathing in the deep precious mountain air. Pictures coming soon. So far I have visited an eco-reserve, toured around a coffee producing coop community, layed about in a hammock for hours, drank delicious coffee and rum, saw tons of smiling faces, talked to a bunch of folk whom I love and miss, eaten tons of gallo pinto and now we are off to walk demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-43025426995331202552007-08-14T13:48:00.000-06:002007-08-14T13:59:19.707-06:00Nicaragua, day 2. I can´t even remember the day 1 entry. Wait, there wasnt one. No suprise I spent so much time wandering the streets of Ocotal like a born again puppy who was reliving his last car chasing attempt on the highway. It felt like I was inviting death and life back into me after having them barred from entering the premises for 7 months. I wasnt ready. And they left me rawer thandemetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-77015088009675137862007-08-10T18:38:00.000-06:002007-08-10T18:50:35.326-06:00I can't believe I'm doing this. Two weeks in Nicaragua then a move to San Francisco. Its not just a "move" either. It is a cross country road trip to a city I've never visited and through a country I don't know that well. But I'll be living there come Septemeber 1st. Holy 24 Years Old Batman! It is so funny when people are like, "You are doing what? For how long? With who? What do you meandemetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-20234535059470846092007-08-05T18:57:00.000-06:002007-08-10T18:51:23.565-06:00August is a beautiful month in New Jersey. Its hot muggy and big. Overwhelming in the best way possible. Its great wrapping up my time in Mahwah, NJ by spending a week on my bike visiting friends, pumping those last cups of coffee, squeezing in a few last minute dates and spending time with my mom, dad and little bro. Its always awkward leaving. For me, its the ultimate hate love demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-60567509523993911512007-07-11T18:11:00.000-06:002007-07-11T19:47:20.409-06:00Today was great. There was work and rain and bicycles and old new friends. 8 hours of coffee slinging, smoothie making, sandwich cutting, salad tossing and joke cracking good times. You know its not bad but boring. So adding boring to the list of descriptors would be appropriate. I'll tell you about the conversation that spanned two hours and almost five years of emptiness. We walked with demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-14907221884635823552007-06-10T18:29:00.000-06:002007-06-10T19:09:12.876-06:00So yeah, twice in one day after not posting for a whole month, I guess this is what happens when one spends the entire day kicking it with a computer and wifi. Not so bad. Its funny how places trigger responses, thought processes and temptations. Part of me wants to dash off so badly and do something new and invigorating. Its kind of crazy. I met nice people today, they offered me a place indemetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-26093427764732421432007-06-10T07:31:00.000-06:002007-06-10T07:52:22.376-06:00Sunday mornings in Philly with lovely psuedo strangers whom are connections to a time in my recent past, a past that I miss and despise alternatively, I guess it depends more on what part of the past I am thinking about. Nice psuedo strangers who could aslo be called psuedo friends who could also be called friends, lovers, and companions. Psuedo people who walk the line of labelling like demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-69680373710156203532007-05-09T23:00:00.000-06:002007-05-09T23:02:32.506-06:00I took a week off of the internet, tv, radio, newspaper and telephone to clear my head. It was so nice. And, looking back at what happened in the news Im pretty sure that I didnt miss anything radically important. My legs are shaking and shivering from the extra long bike ride I just took so now I am off to shower before descending into sleep. Life is still fucking life like and I'm still demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-70067296380181716012007-05-01T18:20:00.000-06:002007-05-01T19:38:56.172-06:00A few moments after I wrote that post I managed to crash my bike while riding uphill. It was kind of hilarious, if not painful. Thankfully, I was wearing my helmet, cause otherwise I wouldn't be here right now and that would be a bad thing. Life in NJ moves on and I with it. I didn't enjoy playing the waiting game with USFT for the grant money that they promised me. Nor do I enjoy them demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-34145459136709515212007-04-23T20:51:00.000-06:002007-04-23T20:58:36.712-06:00Its finally warm out and I mean like 85 this afternoon. There are bugs everywhere, the birds are going crazy and kids are out and about with short sleeves and shorts. The bicyclists have come back in force and are taking over the roads, I am loving riding at night and don't really want to head home. But alas, the lack of a cell phone and any other fellow service workers that hold such demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-29739718476081162862007-04-02T23:58:00.000-06:002007-04-03T00:02:33.139-06:00There were these two moments today. One happened when I was standing between the wall of the waiting both and the yellow line at Seacacus and a non-passenger train whipped by me with what seemed like all the force in the world and almost lifted me up the ground to be carried along in its wake. That was simply magnificent.And finally, I rode home from the Ramsey train station in this not quite demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-28976689889515006402007-03-26T18:31:00.000-06:002007-03-26T18:53:38.481-06:00Wow, what a week! Que dura fue esa semana pasada. Im a bit fucking pissed about somethings. The US attorney general firings are one thing. The continued war in Iraq is another and how my relationship with Kate is sitting like this big ugly zit on the face of my life in New Jersey is the ultimate and I can't figure how to pop it. I saw her getting on a train in Allendale the other day, demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-7427763254017417872007-03-08T02:15:00.000-06:002007-03-08T03:23:38.725-06:00Para Espanol vea abajoIt is nice and late but I wanted to put a few things up here before I hit the sack and drift off to wonderland.So, Starbucks spends between 15k and 30k on health projects in East Timor. Then they spend 45k to cut a deal with United Airways to promote a video that cost them 100k to make. A video which promotes these recent social investments in East Timor. During this demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-66782815700369173922007-03-06T12:31:00.000-06:002007-03-06T22:22:37.699-06:00Para Espanol vea abajoSome great things today:A photo petition targeting Starbucks to ensure that they commit to their newly announced deal with Ethiopia. Get on the boat and submit a photo!Scooter Libby gets nailed! Lets see who's next. Rove? Cheney? Bush?The 4th anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, the Shock and Awe campaign, and the Teaneck 5 action is coming up. Check out these great North demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-28714628088527053902007-03-06T01:02:00.000-06:002007-03-06T01:09:19.475-06:00Re-initiated in the IWW today. Felt great. Attended the meeting. Seeing everyone's faces again and sensing the buzz of organizing around me I knew that this is a me, a persona, that I know well and that I like to be. More like a me that I have been for a long time in the past and sometimes it seems as if I had never left and just woke up one day being able to speak Spanish and talk about demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-79306131794804296702007-03-06T00:07:00.000-06:002007-03-06T00:13:28.821-06:00"Questions of morality are questions about happiness and suffering. This is why you and I do not have moral obligations towards rocks."Thank you Sam Harris. Author of The End of Faith and Letters to a Christian Nation. As I read the latter and see that it is a lucid, well reasoned and powerful argument against the right wing Christian fervor that has the national political debate in a headlockdemetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-72469072250243924812007-02-26T22:01:00.000-06:002007-02-26T22:02:21.937-06:00Corporate slavery is generally most valuable for one thing: more corporate slavery.demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-66837825659783048042007-02-12T00:38:00.000-06:002007-02-01T14:35:59.587-06:00Some photoblogs to keep me inspired:http://tri-xstories.blogspot.com/http://www.pbase.com/interactivehttp://thegreatamericanphotoblog.blogspot.com/demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-87323891903432954712007-01-29T15:46:00.000-06:002007-01-29T16:01:37.030-06:00I'm getting into reality TV down here. Late at night they play reruns of America's Next Top Model, dubbed in Spanish, and I find it absolutely fascinating. In that vien, I recommend you all check out this brand new online reality TV show from Epicurious.com about the Culinary institute of America and it's students: Inside the CIA I already love the fat guy, Markos, because of his humor and demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-60829617769166841632006-12-18T18:17:00.000-06:002006-12-18T18:31:42.192-06:00There is work, true pero que bueno que tengamos trabajo, no? In a country with a 50% unemployment rate it is good that we have work. It took me a few times to realize that when I say how busy I am with work it can be hard for Nicaraguans to understand why I am complaining. I am just so used to having work and having employment opportunities that not having nor those options is hard for me to demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-5262737414170161602006-12-12T21:23:00.000-06:002006-12-12T21:38:53.002-06:00It has been awhile. Took a few days off, though I didn't want to, just didn't find the time to commit to writing out an entry. I've been doing a bunch of interesting things though and I'd like to take this time to tell you about them.Dhyana has come back, which is really excellent because she is inspirational. Just walking around with her is fucking amazing. Her outlook and intelligence are demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-56602832782395832832006-12-04T12:37:00.000-06:002006-12-04T12:38:16.614-06:00Angry. Busy. Frustrated. I'd like to scream real loud. Gah. But we keep on working. Im taking self time this afternoon.demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-78048331146406137912006-11-26T13:48:00.000-06:002006-11-26T15:41:27.904-06:00Relaxation. Pizza, brownies, espresso, wireless internet, liter after liter of Tona, chef salads, warm showers, an explosion of intellectual English conversation - not that that does not exist in Ocotal but to have those conversations with other people and see where I am and where I have come from, looking backwards, reflection.Talking with a group of travellers this morning we talked about whatdemetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-55016672449189287892006-11-24T10:36:00.000-06:002006-11-25T07:58:18.112-06:00The Nicaraguan Elections. Thoughts from a gringo living in Sandinista Country.This is a sticky, being a diehard progressive my heart leaps for joy whenever the Left beats the Right. Even if the Left is a chauffered child molesting corrupt disconnected bastard. Ok, maybe my heart doesn't always leap for joy when the Left wins.Im excited about the possibilities of what the Sandinistas could dodemetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-55008764721929363762006-11-24T10:29:00.000-06:002006-11-24T10:36:26.134-06:00Big ole mug of steaming hot espresso sends me reeling. I think, "God how I love this feeling." Sitting in La Casa del Cafe in Managua, using the free wireless, waiting for the US Consulate to open up so that I can get more pages put in my passport and then it is off to Granada for a party and a baking session and laughter and joy in Nicaragua's tourist hotspot. I love Granada because its demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-21121356570876380292006-11-23T11:13:00.000-06:002006-11-23T11:18:44.626-06:00Lolipops, chocolate, Starburts and letters all make a boy happy on this Thanksgiving Day when he is not near his family. There will be no turkey nor stuffing and none of that overblown family drama that tends to tear a hole in all of our hearts when all we want is a nice quiet meal filled with love and good stories.That absence is not the fault of anyone in particular yet the fault of everyone demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-84491785238880350392006-11-22T12:17:00.000-06:002006-11-22T12:42:15.458-06:00Later I will talk about cleaning strangers houses and cooking beans. But to sleep on a floor not my own and clean a kitchen that was empty feeling liberated by my chains of friendships I almost wet myself with happiness to have that breathing room.demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-64979868308167845092006-11-21T17:38:00.000-06:002006-11-21T18:02:19.533-06:00Its still not easy. Its still beautiful. Today I watched a flock of long tailed sparrows fly from tree to tree, chirping, singing, diving, wheeling. They filled the air and carried my smile away with them from tree to tree. If only they had been wise enough to ask me for other things to carry away with them. I would of unloaded my frustration, loneliness, anger, fears, uncertainty, challengesdemetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-57625023101912036922006-11-13T18:59:00.000-06:002006-11-13T19:30:35.900-06:00I can't say that it never gets easy. There are so many days when I don't know what I'm doing or if I'm just waiting for the next problem. This weekend, including Monday, has a laundry list of challenges attached to it: coworker leaving, missing cellphone, huge fight outside my house, getting mad sick, my roomate (Emily) breaking up with her boyfriend only to find that all her male friends heredemetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1161885604438382462006-10-26T11:57:00.000-06:002006-11-05T12:54:57.833-06:00My butt hurts. Hour two in the cyber approaches and I am torn between working on the monthly update and researching the next steps I want to take in my life. I keep thinking about food and cooking and how food connects all of us. Demetriusdemetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1160583406994682512006-10-11T10:05:00.001-06:002006-11-05T12:54:57.604-06:00the shadow of a chiltomaon a handmade ceramic potholding an unkown plantreminds me that beauty is undiscovered invisible and unseenbecause we are not looking.demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1159913469012820152006-10-03T15:35:00.000-06:002006-11-05T12:54:57.383-06:00Cold air, conditioned, processed and blown in a rotating manner across the crowds at the ciber and yes, it is crowded. Trying to write a letter to the President of Cornell University, an attempt to create something between him and us. But what do we want? Money, support, community. Who are we? Writers, Addicts, Communicators. Most importantly, why? Why are we doing what we are doing? This is the demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1159549156517042092006-09-29T11:36:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:57.278-06:00The ciber minutes after the lights go back on already has 3 gringos in it. This confuses me. I am doing some work, but mostly checking in with my friends and doing some writing. The others are all from outside of Ocotal and enjoy the services that the big cities offer. Im a little mixed up right now. Continually facing challenges and finding answers to them is a spot draining as this is a daily demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1159211400306053492006-09-25T14:01:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:57.169-06:00the clouds are moving across town slowly with patches of sunlight exploding here and there along the dirt roads, throwing the dust clouds into relief so you can really see how dirty dust can be. I moved yesterday, I had to leave. It was just too much. I am not a father, nor can I be one right now, there is too much gray space inside me that I do not understand. I keep telling myself it is better demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1158528137991280642006-09-17T16:21:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:57.060-06:00i really want to run away to some dirty hole in europe and be a stinky anarchist.demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1158104944056117842006-09-12T18:45:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:56.949-06:00Hey all. Finished Sam Harris's ¨The End of Faith.¨ It is great. Worth the read. Or check his website. Love from down heredemetriusdemetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1156811894089184202006-08-28T19:34:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:56.841-06:00One man slowly gave us the finger and screamed for the fucking gringos to get out of the country, to get out! The little boy smiled and waved, said hello and we smiled and said hello back. The innocence of youth versus the rage of age. I understand why he is angry, the United States has continually fucked up and intervined in Nicaraguan affairs since 1833. He has every right to be angry and to demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1156703273981007592006-08-27T13:04:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:56.724-06:00its the horse parade today. an exciting amalgamation of locals, out of towners, beer and the most beautiful horses of nicaragua. im excited, though this tickle in my throat and the snot in my nose are slowing me down, i will try to get out there and enjoy the event. who misses a chance to wear a dress shirt and parade around town drunk at 4 in the afternoon. Not me, my friends, not me. I hope demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1156449581416879842006-08-24T14:49:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:56.613-06:00gah. need to pee. love the world. gah. oh the eloquence!demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1155844681525502972006-08-17T14:44:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:56.498-06:00some asshole started giving me shit while i was eating lunch today near the gastronomical demonstration that had been organized as part of the fiesta patronales and really, it just fucking sucks when some idiot asshole decides that he has to bother you today and give you shit for whatever reason. god. what really got to me about it was that i work so hard to be accepted and a part of this demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1155410880811009452006-08-12T14:23:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:56.384-06:00research, sweat. airlines, coffee. language schools, work, wondering. Saturday. Its hot.demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1155245322814751392006-08-10T15:58:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:56.275-06:00Israel has been killing innocents and destroying southern Lebanon for almost a month now. My friend Mary just returned from Lebanon and has sent out a letter which I repost below along with some useful articles and action steps you can take right now. Dear Friends,Thanks to all of you who wrote me back, and sorry if I have not written personal responses to everyone. To people I did not write demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1154821636312431322006-08-05T18:41:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:56.172-06:00Fair trade coffee cooperatives, walking in steps I walked in 2 years ago, speaking Spanish, translating, feeling both mixed up and out of place. Popping, I popped today. Just a little and it was directed at a few people. Theoretical and tangible. Goal driven and somewhat cynical. I am the last person in the netcafe. Dinner is soon and this is a hodge podge, but last night was fantastic and I dontdemetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1154451292260456882006-08-01T11:32:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:56.058-06:00waking up late. turning over again and again, knowing the time and not wanting to get out of bed or move or face the world today. those streets of ocotal, bright, sunny burning, no clouds like yesterday, my eyes charring and demanding that I return to my dark room. But no, I keep moving, pedalling slowly as my legs work up the energy to take me to the post office, to Donde la Lucilita and then todemetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1154388375545134042006-07-31T18:16:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:55.947-06:00This morning was beautiful. Thick, musty and hazy. Walking around Ocotal and watching the sun poke through the clouds as I poked along my way to the school for a despidida ceremony for Thomas and Anika, it was nice. A good way to start a morning. Errands, despididas, trips to Honduras, surprises, delicious lunches, class room time, the plucuamperfecto tense, along with dates for Thomas and demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1154196112301509942006-07-29T12:44:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:55.841-06:00walking again through homesick lane, hearing npr and imagining warm saturdays driving to work and the three way intersection in westwood at which i would make a left and park in the trader joe's parking lot before i walked to work. thinking about kate, trying not to, but the second i step away from any deeply engaging activity she would come up into my brain and just hover there and i would demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1153843145490585942006-07-25T09:46:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:55.734-06:00The sun is crashing in through the door of the cyber, my laptop is humming away while downloading new music and my fingers are running through their normal routes and happy to be doing so. Quite the day in ocotal, I am out of the house early and smiling because I have an entire day infront of me with a mix of fun things to do. Work, class, writing, reading and bike riding. You know how sometimes demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1153787792455442442006-07-24T19:13:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:55.628-06:00Today Ocotal rolled on like normal. An explosion of rain in the afternoon preceded and followed by the sweltering humid heat of the day. After returning last night and searching for my friends and family, who were stuck in Dipilto (a smaller coffee producing town close by), I eventually settled back into the house from a high energy weekend in Granada, Nicaragua's main tourist city, with the demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1153098254008633562006-07-16T19:52:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:55.517-06:00two words sum up the tidal wave of emotions im languishing in: Ragi Balls.demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1152047711901526642006-07-04T16:07:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:53.996-06:00a few days on cape cod, a few days with jackson and sarah always have me questioning and marvelling at how we ended up here. how did we move from protest to vacation? why are beaches more appealling than strange city streets? what is my friendship with them, and why is it still going on? its confusing but satisfying, we cook together, clean together, and go on adventures together. we dream demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1151625350280005462006-06-29T18:43:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:53.888-06:00Sitting in Sarah's new apartment in Brooklyn, watching Carrie's first quicktime video. A Cuban flag billowing in the exhaust of an air conditioner. Jackson and Sarah sit on Sarah's bed talking about boys, video editing programs, and work. Sirens run in the background. A nieghbour swings by asking about a sublet. Sarah shows her and Carrie and I smile about Sarah's directness. Im happy. Its a nicedemetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1151018066324524872006-06-22T18:07:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:53.778-06:00joe and i sit in the laughing goat, a coffee shop art space located on pearl st in boulder, co. I have been in the country since yesterday afternoon. First watching people mill around the houston airport, cold and driven, then watching the smooth black pavement of rt 36 fly below me as we floated through rush hour denver traffic towards boulder in the cab of a red pickup truck named betsy. Betsy demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1150742946024734252006-06-19T13:44:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:53.671-06:00Starbucks Workers at 57th and Lexington join the IWWStarbucks workers continue to join the IWW despite intimidation, harassment and constant violationsThis is the 5th Starbucks store in NYC to establish a public organizing committee and make collective demands from the company. some of these demands included a guaranteed 30 hour work week, an end to the 1 minute lateness policy, an end to unfair demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1150216469432387252006-06-13T11:03:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:53.561-06:00mm. deep breathing. trying to let my body settle and my muscles relax and regroup after an overly intense game of ultimate frisbee. chris's wedding was beautiful, long and enchanting, filled with magnificent people and words; great dancing and wonderful food, an amazingly decadent vegan chocolate cake and then a long night of talking, card playing and relaxtion in a room we didnt pay for with demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1149348873372534112006-06-03T10:31:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:53.447-06:00in managua, waiting for people to arrive. one has already. watching dynamics of people run around and trying to get the read of everyone who is at the table its like waiting tables but with language as the prize not tips. i dont know how any of us are doing. i dont want any of us to fall behind. the concert that daddy yankee gave here the other weekend is being rebroadcast over the hotel tv at demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1149204693805018242006-06-01T18:30:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:53.342-06:00“Dile a tu mama, dile a ella que no soy ignorante. Que se leer, no perfectamente pero ahora se. Y puedes decirle a tu mama que tu no eres mas un ignorante. Ahora sabes como vivimos en Nicaragua. Tu sabes como comemos, como nosotros trabajamos, tu conoces la vida aquí.”Emerson AguileraTrece añosEstudiante de Secundariademetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1149127857737681192006-05-31T21:00:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:53.237-06:00i just saw a picture of new york city. i was overwhelmed. i very much so am happy living in a small mountain town with out skyscrapers or subways, without rush hour or hordes of anonymous people passing you left and right every minute of each day. give me this quite mountain town, this center of agriculture supplies for the campesinoes, give me my friendly net cafe operators and give me my demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1149106500389113142006-05-31T15:01:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:53.126-06:00its been an amazing day. work started this week, and my first two letters were received positively by Dhyana, my freelance article was accepted and more work was offered to me and i got two letters! how exciting. I mean, i still havent eaten lunch, but so what, that will happen when it happens. i found great information about travelling and connected with some other people about travelling and i demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1149105578651693242006-05-31T14:42:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:53.013-06:00Students in Chile take to the streets to protest cuts in their educational system, peek at the pictures.demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1148917590836755652006-05-29T10:38:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:52.789-06:00un poblador que no se preocupa de lo que posa en su municipio, ni busca involucrarse en las soluciones: no es ciudadano activo.demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1148915356609521562006-05-29T09:50:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:52.683-06:00Legislation supporting Fair Trade Certified Goods has been introduced into the NJ State Legislature. The South Jersey Fair Trade Alliance is very excited to inform youabout Bill #AR178 to support Fair Trade in the State House! The billcan be viewed here.The Bill to support fair trade was submitted by Assemblyman Frank Bleeand has been assigned to the State Government Committee. The Bill isasking demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1148081988700372062006-05-19T18:35:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:52.572-06:00Once, I walked down a street in Madurai, India and I saw an elephant drinking Coca-Cola. Then I showed the elephant to Lawrence. We had the worst conversation - ever - about believing people. I hated that walk. That conversation ruined my memory of the elephant drinking Coca-Cola. Once I sat on a train with the door open as the moon glowed lusciously over a rapidly moving Indian landscape. Katrindemetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1148065814322115162006-05-19T14:09:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:52.462-06:00just some things i want to add.does anyone want a CRS Fair Trade postcard?demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1148065785793529992006-05-19T14:08:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:52.357-06:00and to continue my racism thoughts with that it is not only systematic but institutionalized and profound.demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1148065608414214272006-05-19T14:06:00.001-05:002006-11-05T12:54:52.251-06:00"Its no good to go to Costco not Walmart unless you tell Walmart why you aint going there." Jim Hightower, American Populist.demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1148065595315694962006-05-19T14:06:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:52.149-06:00The British as they wrote and rewrote english reduced the importance of the subjunctive clause - a clause which is used to express hypotheticals, dreams, wishes and anything that is not precise, exact or sure or unknown - inorder to control people better and to limit the expanse of our thought process for those that think in english. they wanted us to stop dreaming so that we could only think in demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1148065576377598822006-05-19T14:01:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:52.049-06:00and finally:Donald Rumsfield used to be a CEO of a pharmacutical company, Searle Pharmacuticals.demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1147993343258975502006-05-18T18:01:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:51.835-06:00This is my friend Kayla's website, she takes pictures. Good pictures. You should look at them.demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1147993233440480542006-05-18T17:57:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:51.728-06:00life is flexible; a joyous conflagration of unbridled emotions and improbable occurences that bring shocking moments of clarity and horror to the forefront of my vision. keeping me uncomfortably moving forward.demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1147400322561030702006-05-11T20:59:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:51.626-06:00i wish that we were living in the same place right now, cause living without her has been worse than not knowing her. seeing pictures of her felt as if someone trying to pull my heart out of one of those games in supermarkets with the robotic arm, always missing, but pulling at the flesh every time. i just want to hold her and talk about everything that has just happened. Oh. I miss you. I want demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1147398854615007392006-05-11T20:51:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:51.519-06:00Mangos! I eat mangos almost everyday down here and reading about them in india made me so happy! Kind of odd cause i never got to eat mangos while in india, only drink the delicious.Whats everyones favorite way to eat a mango?demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1147398580387858322006-05-11T20:46:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:51.398-06:00Here is the prompt:The objective of this work is to construct realities about how young American women build worlds of their own from an obsession with body image and societal pressures in an effort to maintain a cultural standard of body image. This work makes references to female culture and how prettiness is embedded in material things that women use and have used as developing children. Fordemetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1147196248367820442006-05-09T12:20:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:51.289-06:00so, the other day in class, meg and brit and i were talking about racism after being spurred on by federico. so, they say "racism is a problem and its systemic and overwhelming" it was at that point that i became frustrated, i mean these conversations frustrate me in general, talks about racism, globalization, sexism, and other forms of oppression. i want to talk about these things. i want to demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1147194360493680762006-05-09T11:59:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:51.177-06:00i really enjoyed this article about recycling. comprhensive and informative, well written and with good clear information about how to recycle damn near everything. get to it.From Emagazine.com:"Don’t throw away those exercise videos and ubiquitous AOL CDs. Jim Williams wants you to mail old videotapes and CDs to him, so that more than 40 disabled staffers at his ACT Recycling in Columbia, demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1146676254428716152006-05-03T12:08:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:51.069-06:00amazing. things.the position with the centro de idiomas was offered. i am thinking on it. there are factors to consider.so we know that within american culture racism is systemic, we know that its wrong. what now?and angry annoyed, just became because...that space is empty. and im being prevented from filling it. i...to the driftersdemetriusdemetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1146591754251114462006-05-02T12:39:00.000-05:002006-11-05T12:54:50.959-06:00excerpt from email. this shit - "She said that I am seeing the world through the eyes of a twenty year old .. that I'll 'see one day' when our country becomes a third world country." infuriates me. its as if immigrants or other people, other workers are destroying the benefits that living in the US offers. its as if we, the college student radicals or progressives, are tearing down things that demetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293680.post-1146335693717189682006-04-29T11:33:00.000-06:002006-11-05T12:54:50.866-06:00i needed to leave the house today. its tense. the combo of last night and this morning has made things tenser and my mental anticipation of what is going to to happen today is making it worse. last night yassir put on some rap from the states and asked me if i liked it, i told him no, told him why, fran came home minutes later and asked me the same, then ronmel came home and got the hat trick anddemetriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278823142286459128noreply@blogger.com0